During the battles for Damansky Island in 1969, the Soviet side used the then secret BM-21 Grad multiple launch rocket systems. This moment of the armed conflict had several consequences, both political (China almost completely stopped provocations on the border) and folklore (a well-known anecdote about the "peaceful Soviet tractor"). In addition, some time after the end of the fighting, the Chinese command was finally able to figure out how the Soviet soldiers were able to destroy most of the group of troops preparing for the offensive. One of the most offensive for the Chinese, the result of receiving this information was the understanding that similar systems were in the PLA, but they were clearly underestimated. By the mid-seventies, Chinese scientists and engineers began to create full-fledged multiple launch rocket systems.
Type 63
By the beginning of the battles for Damansky, the Type 63 system had been in service with the Chinese army for six years. Even before the deterioration of relations with the Soviet Union, the Chinese military purchased several BM-14 MLRS. Realizing the need to deploy its own production of weapons and military equipment, the Chinese leadership ordered the reverse engineering of the Soviet multiple launch rocket system and make its own complex based on it. For a number of reasons, during the study of Soviet models and the development of their own analogues, only general features remained from the original BM-14. So, the Soviet MLRS had a caliber of 140 millimeters. The Chinese, for some reason, reduced it to 107 mm. The design of the launcher has undergone a change. Of the 16 launch tubes, only twelve remained, in addition, due to the lack of a suitable chassis, the installation, called "Type 63", was made towed.
The "Type 63" launcher was a significantly modified and lightweight wheeled artillery carriage. The wheels, unified with automotive equipment, had springs, which made it possible to tow the MLRS at fairly high speeds. In addition, on the battlefield, the installation could be transported by a crew of five people. A rotary machine was attached to the chassis of the carriage. It made it possible to direct the barrels horizontally within a sector with a width of 30 ° and vertically from zero to 60 degrees. Despite the use of open pipes on both sides, the Type 63 launcher had a tendency to move and jump when firing. To compensate for this phenomenon, two sliding beds were provided in the rear of the carriage, in the stowed position used for towing, as well as two stops on the hinges in front. With the frames and stops unfolded, the Type 63 installation became much more stable and provided sufficient accuracy when firing in a salvo.
The Type 63 ammunition was typical turbojet projectiles. The body, 760 to 840 mm long, housed seven powder bombs, an electric igniter and a warhead. For stabilization in flight, in the rear of the rocket, there was a nozzle block with a sustainer nozzle and six inclined ones, which were used for spin-up. Depending on the need, the MLRS calculation could use high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, high-explosive fragmentation projectiles with an increased fragmentation effect, incendiary based on white phosphorus, and even jamming projectiles. In the latter case, the projectile was detonated at a certain height, as a result of which a large number of reflective elements appeared in the air. All the shells weighed about 18.5-19 kilograms. At the optimum elevation angle, the Type 63 MLRS shells flew about eight and a half kilometers. An electrical system with manual control was used to launch the missiles, which made it possible for the calculation to intuitively adjust the interval between shots. At the same time, the relevant documents recommended that all twelve shells be fired in no more than 7-9 seconds. Calculations have shown that in this case, the greatest effectiveness of hitting the target is ensured, and the launcher does not have time to "jump" and go astray.
Initially, Type 63 multiple launch rocket systems were supplied to the troops in relatively small numbers. It was believed that traditional cannon artillery was more effective. At the same time, the economic side of the use of cannon and rocket artillery can be noted. In the case of cannons and howitzers, the complex "expensive weapon - cheap ammunition" is obtained, which is quite effective financially. MLRS, in turn, correspond to a different concept: "cheap weapons - expensive ammunition", which ultimately led to the understatement of the role of MLRS in the Chinese army. Nevertheless, after the conflict at Damanskoye, production of the Type 63 increased significantly and by the early eighties each infantry regiment had six launchers attached to artillery battalions.
At first glance, the simple and outdated Type 63 system turned out to be successful enough to fulfill the tasks assigned to it. In this regard, it has gained popularity not only in China. So, on the basis of the Chinese MLRS in other countries, several similar systems were created: Iranian Fajr-1, Sudanese Taka, North Korean "Type 75", Turkish T-107, etc. The original MLRS "Type 63" were delivered to 13 countries, primarily the third world. In addition, in the mid-eighties, the Chinese began to mount the "Type 63" on the chassis of the Nanjing NJ-230 truck, which made the multiple launch rocket system self-propelled and much more mobile.
Type 82
Back in the sixties, attempts were made to make a new projectile of increased caliber for the Type 63 MLRS. In general, no problems with the ammunition were foreseen, however, the towed launcher seemed too weak a device to use with it. For this reason, the creation of a new multiple launch rocket system was delayed - it was necessary to find a suitable chassis, develop an appropriate launcher and bring to mind a 130 mm caliber projectile.
The result was the Type 82 MLRS. The base for it was the Yanan SX250 three-axle all-wheel drive truck. Above the rear axles, a launcher was installed with thirty trumpets, arranged in three horizontal rows of ten each. A larger caliber in comparison with the "Type 63" and an almost threefold increase in the number of launch tubes led to the need to re-develop the entire launcher. The result is a solid unit, somewhat reminiscent of the launchers of Soviet BM-21 Grad vehicles - tubular guides assembled in one package with a characteristic rectangular casing in the rear. The pointing angles of the new launcher were 75 ° from the longitudinal axis of the machine in the horizontal plane and the elevation was from zero to 50 °. At the same time, in most of the photographs "Type 82" are firing, deploying the launcher at a sufficiently large angle from the axis of the vehicle. Failure to do so may damage the unprotected cab. The cabin of the combat vehicle itself has an increased size compared to the original truck. Behind the driver's and commander's workplaces there is a volume with two rows of seats for the remaining five people. Behind the rear edge of the cockpit is a metal box for transporting thirty rockets. Thus, without the help of a transport-charging vehicle, the Type 82 MLRS can fire two volleys in a row with a reloading break (5-7 minutes).
The Type 82 missiles are significantly enlarged Type 63 MLRS missiles. As a result, the layout and method of stabilizing the projectile remained the same. The length of 130 mm projectiles is approximately equal to one meter. Weight, depending on the type of warhead, is about 32 kilograms. The range of projectiles produced is small. At the disposal of the crews there are high-explosive fragmentation projectiles, reinforced fragmentation with 2600 striking elements and incendiary based on phosphorus. The maximum flight range of all projectiles does not exceed ten kilometers. In the late eighties, NORINCO created a new fragmentation projectile with a firing range of up to 15 km. In comparison with the "Type 63", the rate of fire has increased significantly. The electrical system of the combat vehicle allows you to release all three dozen shells to the target in 14-16 seconds. To achieve such indicators, a paired missile launch was used.
The high combat effectiveness of the "Type 82" quickly enough led to the fact that it ousted from the troops self-propelled versions of the MLRS "Type 63". In addition, the newer multiple launch rocket system became the basis for several modifications. The 30-barreled launcher can be mounted on some armored chassis, such as the Type 60 armored tractor. The tracked version of the "Type 82" receives the designation "Type 85". Finally, there is a wearable version of the 130mm MLRS. It is a lightweight tripod carriage, one launch tube and an electrical fuse system. Airborne and mountain rifle subunits are armed with such launchers.
Type 83
The creation of this multiple launch rocket system began almost simultaneously with the Type 63, but technical difficulties delayed the work for almost two decades. At the very beginning of the sixties, Chinese developers of military equipment tried to make a combat vehicle designed to strike with 273 mm rockets. However, the heavy large-caliber rocket, although it had a long range, already at the level of calculations showed insufficient accuracy and accuracy. There were problems with everything: with gunpowder for a solid propellant engine, with the rigidity of the launcher, etc. The development of the "Type 83" was interrupted for a long time, and the full-fledged creation of a new multiple launch rocket system began only in 1978. By this time, the appearance of a combat vehicle had finally taken shape. The artillery tractor "Type 60-1" on a caterpillar track was taken as a basis for it. An armored vehicle with a 300-horsepower engine looked ambiguous against the background of the "Type 82", but, nevertheless, it gave acceptable characteristics of speed and maneuverability, competing in these indicators with tanks.
At the rear of the tractor, a launcher with a box-type guide block was installed. The large weight of the shells and the launcher did not make it possible to make the horizontal guidance sector large enough. As a result, deviation from the longitudinal axis of the machine is only possible by 20 degrees in both directions. The vertical guidance sector has remained approximately the same as before, but has shifted slightly. Due to the long length of the launcher rails, the minimum angle at which they did not touch the cockpit exceeded 5 ° to the horizontal plane. The maximum possible elevation angle was 56 °. It is worth noting that the Type 83 has box-shaped guides rather than rail guides. Thanks to this, the rockets almost do not affect each other when launched. The combat weight of the finished tracked vehicle exceeded 17.5 tons. Due to the weight of the rocket at 480-490 kilograms, doubts arose about the stability of the combat vehicle. To compensate for swinging, two hydraulic outriggers were installed on the rear of the chassis. Despite the need to use them, the time to transfer the vehicle from the traveling position to the combat position did not exceed one minute.
The caliber of 273 mm was the reason for the small ammunition of the Type 83 MLRS. The large launcher had only four projectile guides. The length of the ammunition of 4.7 meters also did not contribute to the increase in the power of the salvo in quantitative terms. Nevertheless, the small ammunition load was compensated for by the long range and power of the shells. Each 273-mm unguided missile carried a warhead weighing about 135-140 kilograms. The standard ammunition was a missile with a high-explosive fragmentation warhead. If necessary, the "Type 83" system could fire missiles with a chemical or cluster warhead. One of the reasons for the large size of the guides was the design of the stabilizing system of the projectiles. Unlike "Type 63" and "Type 82", the new large-caliber MLRS was designed to use missiles that rotate in flight due to stabilizers. This technical solution was used to save the energy of the powder charge: in turbojet projectiles, some of the gases are spent on spinning up in flight. Rockets of the classical scheme, in turn, lose energy only to overcome air resistance, and the cost of spinning up is orders of magnitude less. Thanks to this savings, the Type 83 MLRS shells can hit targets at ranges from 23 to 40 kilometers. The circular probable deviation is 1, 2-1, 5 percent of the distance to the target. The recommended duration of a volley is within 5-8 seconds.
Serial production of "Type 83" began in 1984 and proceeded at a slow pace. MLRS of high power was considered not the type of weapon that should be made en masse. Most likely, for the same reason, this MLRS was discontinued in 1988. In factories, its place was taken by newer and more advanced designs. Several dozen Type 83 vehicles are still serving in separate artillery divisions of the PLA and in some third world countries, where they were exported under the name WZ-40.
"Type 81", "Type 89" and "Type 90"
In 1979, during the border conflict between China and Vietnam, PLA soldiers took several Soviet-made BM-21 Grad combat vehicles as a trophy. Remembering the consequences of the strike during the battles for Damansky, the leadership of the Chinese army demanded that a similar complex be made as soon as possible. As a result, in just a couple of years, the Type 81 MLRS was developed and put into production. The combat vehicle of this complex was a three-axle truck with a multi-seat cabin like the Type 82 and a launcher copied from the Grad. Projectiles were treated in a similar way. Due to the almost complete copying of the characteristics of the "Type 81" were similar or close to the characteristics of the Soviet BM-21. In the future, the MLRS "Type 81" has undergone several modernizations, including deep ones.
MLRS "Type 81"
The most serious version of the Type 81 update received the designation Type 89 and was created at the very end of the eighties. The main innovation in the design is the new chassis. According to the results of operation, the cross-country characteristics of the 6x6 wheeled chassis were found to be insufficient. An armored tracked vehicle "Type 321" was chosen for replacement. Diesel engine with 520 hp chassis. accelerated a combat vehicle on the highway to 50-55 kilometers per hour. On the upper surface of the thirty-ton chassis, a rotary base with a launcher and loading equipment was mounted. The base, together with the units on it, could rotate within a sector with a width of 168 °. The launcher independently rose 55 degrees from the horizontal. The actual launcher "Type 89" was completely borrowed from the "Type 81" and, as a result, from the Soviet "Grad": a frame with a hydraulic lifting device was the basis for four rows of ten launch tubes of 122 mm caliber. Of interest are other equipment installed on the rotary base of the armored vehicle. Immediately in front of the launcher there is an armored casing similar in size to the block of launch tubes. Inside the casing, in a special holder, forty rockets of additional ammunition were placed. The missiles were fed into the launch tubes automatically, at the command of the calculation. Thus, the "Type 89" was able to quickly reload for a second strike. After using additional ammunition, the help of a transport-loading vehicle was required. The automated loading system made it possible to reduce the calculation of the combat vehicle to five people. For all of them, there were seats inside the armored corps.
MLRS "Type 89"
122-mm shells for MLRS of the Type 81 family are the processing of BM-21 missiles in accordance with Chinese industrial capabilities. The mass of the projectiles ranges from 60-70 kilograms, depending on the type of warhead. This can be a conventional and enhanced fragmentation, cluster (up to 74 submunitions) or incendiary warheads. The weight of most warheads slightly exceeds 18 kilograms, but in the case of a cartridge for 74 fragmentation-cumulative elements it reaches 28 kg. Early model shells, copied from Soviet ammunition, had an appropriate firing range - from three to twenty kilometers. In the future, Chinese designers, by selecting the grade of fuel for the engines, were able to bring the range to 26, 30 and even 40 kilometers. At the same time, the mass of rockets with the longest range remained within the same limits as the weight of early missiles. The copying of Soviet-made missiles led to the development by the Chinese of a new technology for stabilizing the projectile - the folding tail. This technical solution made it possible to combine the small size of the rocket in the transport position and acceptable accuracy indicators.
MLRS "Type 90"
MLRS "Type 89" was the first to receive an automated fire control and guidance system of the launcher. The rotation and lifting of the guide block was carried out using electric drives, but manual guidance is also possible using special mechanisms.
The newest Chinese 122mm multiple launch rocket system is the Type 90. In fact, it is a modified Type 89 launcher mounted on a Tiema XC2030 truck (a copy of Mercedes-Benz 2026) with a 6x6 wheel arrangement. At the same time, the armament complex of the Type 89 MLRS has undergone major changes. The rotary unit of the tracked combat vehicle was divided into two parts - the launcher and the loading unit. The first is rotary (102 ° to the left and right of the machine axis), the second is stationary. The lifting system of the guide block remains the same and allows you to shoot with an elevation angle of up to 55 degrees. A characteristic difference between the "Type 90" from the previous Chinese MLRS on a wheelbase was the cab of standard truck dimensions. Thus, only three people can travel by car per calculation. The other two are forced to get to the position on a different vehicle. An interesting feature of Type 90 combat vehicles is a folding awning. Several U-shaped supports move freely along the platform with loading equipment and a launcher, on which a textile awning is suspended. Before shooting, it gathers in front of the platform. Before leaving the position, the calculation does the procedure in reverse order. Thus, combat and support vehicles on the march look the same as conventional three-axle trucks. On the basis of the original "Type 90" system, "Type 90B" was created, which differs in the composition of the equipment and the base car (Beifang Benchi 2629 6x6).
